Wolf Tales 1.5: Chanku Rising

By Kate Douglas

RISE TOWARD ECSTASY

Xandi, Keisha, Stefan and Anton share a powerful secret: they are shapeshifters whose primal power and heightened senses bring an added ecstasy to their lovemaking that is beyond all words. Now, one of their own is threatened by a danger from the outside, from one determined to expose their closely held secrets, and the friends will go to any lengths to save her and their clan. . .

Praise for Kate Douglas's erotic romance:

"Sexy, tense, and complex."—Romantic Times, 4 Stars on WOLF TALES 12

"The story is so thrilling and the sex is so hot."—Romantic Times, 4 Stars on WOLF TALES 11

"What an emotional rollercoaster. . . [Kate Douglas] has outdone herself."—Coffee Time Romance, 5 Cups on WOLF TALES 10

Previously published in Sexy Beast

26,400 Words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kensington Books
• Release date: Feb 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780758288714

Kate Douglas

A lifelong Californian, Kate Douglas has been lucky enough to call writing her career for most of her adult life, but it wasn’t until she discovered the world of the sexy paranormal that she really found her niche. She’s having such a terrific time creating more Wolf Tales for Kensington’s Aphrodisia line as the imprint’s lead author that she’s still waiting for someone to call and tell her it was all a big mistake. Now with her new DemonSlayers series taking off, she’s definitely having the time of her life. Married for almost 40 years to her very own hero, Kate is mother to two amazing adults and “Dabba” to five perfect grandchildren—and two granddogs. Kate gives credit for much of her success to the fantastic cadre of generous and talented authors who have helped her over the years. She is a firm believer in the philosophy of “paying it forward.” Kate loves to hear from her readers. You can find her on Facebook at facebook.com/katedouglas.author or email her directly at katedouglas.com. There you can also join her newsletter for updates on bookstore visits, signings, and contests for a chance to win books.

Book preview

Paranormal Romance by Kate Douglas

Demonfire

Crystal Dreams in Nocturnal

Hellfire

Starfire

Crystalfire

Erotic Romance by Kate Douglas

Wolf Tales

Chanku Rising in Sexy Beast

Wolf Tales II

Camille’s Dawn in Wild Nights

Wolf Tales III

Chanku Fallen in Sexy Beast II

Wolf Tales IV

Chanku Journey in Sexy Beast III

Wolf Tales V

Chanku Destiny in Sexy Beast IV

Wolf Tales VI

Chanku Wild in Sexy Beast V

Wolf Tales VII

Chanku Honor in Sexy Beast VI

Wolf Tales VIII

Chanku Challenge in Sexy Beast VII

Wolf Tales 9

Chanku Spirit in Sexy Beast VIII

Wolf Tales 10

Wolf Tales 11

Wolf Tales 12

Dream Catcher in Nightshift

Dream Bound

Dream Unchained

WOLF TALES 1.5

Chanku Rising

K

ATE

D

OUGLAS

APHRODISIA

APHRODISIA BOOKS

www.kensingtonbooks.com

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

Table of Contents

Also by

Title Page

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Epilogue

WOLF TALES II

Praise for Kate Douglas and the Wolf Tales Series

Copyright Page

1

One moment, she was a tall, elegantly dressed African American woman with long, darkly waving hair and eyes of brilliant amber. In less than a heartbeat, her dress lay on the redwood deck in a tumbled shimmer of blue satin. The woman had become the wolf, amber eyes glinting angrily in the last dying rays of the sun, canines glimmering like ivory blades. With a single low growl and a flick of her tail, she leapt over the deck railing and raced through the damp meadow.

Anton Cheval threw back his head and laughed. Keisha hated to lose an argument, any argument.

You gonna let her get away with this?

Anton turned to the couple sitting behind him, snuggled close together on the big porch swing.

Grinning broadly, Stefan Aragat lifted his wine glass. "She is your mate. You better chase her down. We’d help, but Xandi and I plan to enjoy the sunset before we run."

Anton glared at Stefan for a brief moment, then shook his head in resignation. Stefan was right. If he didn’t chase after Keisha and work this out now, he’d never hear the end of it.

Anton’s abrupt shift from human to wolf left his clothing in a messy pile on the deck. So unlike him, he thought, not to remember to undress first and fold everything neatly. He glanced once more at the dark pants and black cashmere sweater laying in an untidy heap, then cleared the deck railing and the garden beyond in a single bound.

Maybe laughter hadn’t been his best response.

Only Keisha could leave him so flustered.

Or so turned on.

Anton’s powerful forelegs stretched out and he gathered speed with each thrust of his haunches, but his mind was not entirely the wolf. No, he was reacting like a very protective male, no matter the species, and he knew it irritated the hell out of his alpha mate.

It didn’t matter. He was not, under any circumstances, going to allow her to return to San Francisco by herself. It went against all he stood for, all that the Chanku were. Their strength lay in the pack, not in the individual.

The memorial garden Keisha had designed for Golden Gate Park was moving forward according to schedule. She’d made enough trips, accompanied by either Anton or Stefan, to ensure everything would be perfect for the dedication. There was no reason she needed to go back early.

Not with that damned tabloid reporter, Carl Burns, once more on her trail.

Anton snarled and almost missed the leap across a small, partially frozen stream. The mere thought of the persistent reporter raised his hackles, made his heart race faster, his blood run hotter.

Burns was the one man who could expose them, the one person who not only suspected the existence of Chanku, but had actually witnessed Keisha’s shift from woman to wolf.

Anton knew his ability to mesmerize was extraordinary, but even he had his limits. He’d hoped the mind-job he’d done on the tabloid reporter would erase the smut-peddler’s memories of Keisha for a longer time than they had, but the bastard had suddenly reappeared in their lives on Keisha’s last trip to the city.

Why hadn’t Keisha let Anton file harassment charges? Carl Burns was a menace, a threat not only to Anton’s mate but to the pack as a whole.

No matter. Anton’s meetings in Boston would be over in less than a week and they could make the trip west together. He had a lot of money riding on this latest investment. Stefan was learning the business, but he wasn’t up to handling an entire board of directors for a multi-national company all by himself.

Following the frosty trail with his wolven mind, working through the problems concerning Keisha with his human side, Anton loped across the familiar ground. He still wasn’t certain what he could say to make her wait, but somehow he would convince her of the danger.

He had to.

Danger!

Keisha’s warning hit him like a solid object. Another scent assaulted his sensitive nostrils. Anton ducked low, twisted and slipped off the trail.

Male. Not Chanku. Human male. More than one, very close. Anton raised his nose and sniffed the air. He scented excitement, fear and the sour sweat of unwashed human.

Keisha’s scent was strongest, to the right.

Pain. Anger. Fear.

Her emotions washed over him, impossible to understand, beyond speech, beyond coherent thought. Anton veered off the main trail and, keeping his body low to the ground, raced down a narrow, bramble-filled ditch. Tufts of dark hair clung to some of the thorns. He scented blood and his hackles rose. Either she was so pissed she was ignoring the thorns, or something—someone—had hurt her.

All thoughts of meetings, investments, humanity, evaporated. Pure wolven rage filled Anton’s heart, seared his thoughts. His lips curled back in a dark snarl, exposing sharp canines.

Anton!

Keisha’s mental cry, clear now, ringing true as a bell in his mind, sent ice running through his veins.

Anton! Take care! Poachers. Armed with crossbows.

He skidded to a halt, one foot raised, his sensitive nose finding Keisha’s scent, smelling blood along with her unique, feminine fragrance, pinpointing her location. At the same time, he reached out with his thoughts to touch Stefan and Xandi.

The connection was instantaneous, their response immediate. Satisfied, Anton raced toward his mate. I’m coming. Are you hurt?

Just grazed. Stay low. Can you reach Stefan? I can’t find him.

I’ve already contacted him. He’s on his way. He’ll bring the four-wheeler and he’s armed. Xandi’s called the sheriff. Where are the poachers?

Near the pond. They’ve built a blind at the far end, above the beaver dam.

Anton passed the information on to Stefan. Scanned the thick underbrush along the near edge of the pond. Keisha’s scent and the odor of fresh blood were strong, her fear and anger a palpable thing. Where are you?

Near the birch stand. Low, in the bramble patch.

He found her there, curled into a tight ball, her blood dripping steadily into the remnants of one last patch of crusty snow. She’d packed the shallow wound in her shoulder with ice, at least as well as she could in wolven form. Tiny crystals tinged with blood clung to the stiff whiskers along her muzzle.

Anton inspected the wound, licked the matted fur around it, grabbed a mouthful of ice and pushed it tightly against the seeping gash. Thank goodness, it didn’t appear life threatening.

He licked Keisha’s muzzle, wiping away the bloody snow with a careful swipe of his tongue. I should kill them. They need to die. Anton’s thought ended on a snarl of pure rage.

No, you should have them arrested. They’re idiots. Let the law deal with them.

Keisha’s calm statement helped slow his racing heart. Still, he growled, unwilling to concede too easily. I will, but I don’t have to like it. I’d rather kill them.

Keisha raised her head and glowered at him through eyes shimmering with pain. Sighing, Anton nuzzled her once more and waited impatiently for Stefan to arrive with clothing for both of them . . . hopefully before Xandi brought the sheriff.

This made the third set of poachers on their land this season—all of them hunting wolves.

Naked, Keisha sat on the toilet seat lid, hunched over in pain and seething with anger while Anton cleaned the shallow gash across her left shoulder. Her body trembled, a delayed reaction to the shooting.

Stefan and Xandi would be back later. They’d followed the sheriff into town to give more of a statement after one of his deputies had taken Keisha and Anton’s. Now, alone here with Anton, Keisha felt the